3-Formyl-2-hydroxypropanoic acid compounds are useful as an active ingredient for medicines, agrochemicals and the like or as an intermediate in the production of medicines, agrochemicals and the like. In particular, an optically active form of the compound is useful as an intermediate in the production of vitamins including pantothenic acid.
The method for producing an optically active form of a 3-formyl-2-hydroxypropanoic acid compound is disclosed in EP 2883858A, US 2013/137880 and Organic Letters, 2010, Vol. 12, No. 13, pp 2966-2969, in which a glyoxylic acid compound and an aldehyde are subjected to an asymmetric aldol reaction in the presence of, for example, a catalyst shown below.
